Looking on the bright side

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a syringe being filled with a vaccine niaid (flickr)

Finding hope through focusing on all we stand to gain

I know we are all sick of quarantine. I know it’s hard to stay positive when many of us are staring at screens all day. I know that coronavirus has ruined many of our plans, and I know we can never gain back a year of lost time.

With the one-year COVID-19 anniversary upon us, time no longer has meaning in online classes and any semblance of a schedule has left just like most of the activities we look forward to. As frustrating as isolation is, it is worth it to keep the elderly and vulnerable safe. But it’s also beneficial to get back to some version of normal. We are at the beginning of the end, but the end is still a very long stretch away. The vaccines are finally out, but it is still a trek to dish them out to everyone.

In looking toward getting back to normal, I would like to look on the bright side to see what we can look forward to when we get there. While various facilities are still open, I and many others have chosen not to use them. At home, workouts do not give off the same dynamic as being in the gym. Once facilities re-open, I would be eager to try a spin class or a yoga class to get a smidge more adventurous.

The terrible, dry Saskatchewan cold has limited activities that we could safely do during the summer months. Skiing is the only part of winter that I like, especially trips to the mountains. I am not an advanced skier by any means, but I can make it down the hill without rolling into a gigantic snowball. There’s nothing better than standing at the top of the mountain looking across to the enormous Rocky Mountains with trees cascading down the sides, topped with powder. The crisp morning air is biting your nose as you shift your weight to the front and fly down the hillside.

Quarantine has done wonders for expanding my music interests. Music has been almost continuously playing while I burn my eyeballs out staring at my monitor every day. Some of my favorites while studying are jazz, classical, and original soundtracks. While I have enjoyed listening to them via a record player, the radio, or my speaker, I cannot wait to actually start attending music festivals. While I am interested in some here in Saskatchewan, like Rock by the River and the Saskatchewan Jazz festival, I would also like to see Tyler the Creator’s music festival, Camp Flog Gnaw.

While I am grateful to have spent holidays and school breaks with my immediate family, I am also excited to plan trips and expect them to happen. I have made many friends throughout my years at university, and I would love to see them on spare weekends. Facetime, calls, and texts have filled the gap, but I cannot wait to plan a new adventure and head out for a grand old time.

Looking back at the start of the pandemic, I can’t believe we thought it would only last two weeks. I don’t have a clue when it will end, but some lovely thoughts from the bright side keep me going in more challenging times.

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